Journal of Economic and Social Measurement - Volume 16, issue 1

Authors: Paul, Robert J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Fourteen years ago (1975) an analysis was conducted of Workers' Compensation Legislation in terms of how well it achieved it underlying objectives. At that time, in spite of more than sixty years of revision, the laws were meeting only some …of their objectives and even these only partially. In the ensuring fourteen years additional study and revision has taken place. The laws are still inadequate, indeed with regard to some objectives, the situation has worsened. It is long past time to reform Workers' Compensation laws so that they will contribute effectively and efficiently to the social insurance system of the United States. Current legislative efforts appear to favor comprehensive health care programs although the form and content are being debated. Changes designed to restrain rising insurance costs appear eminent. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1990-16101

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 1-17, 1990

Authors: McGuckin, Robert H. | Nguyen, Sang V.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Official statistical agencies such as the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics collect enormous quantities of microdata in statistical surveys. These data are valuable for economic research and market and policy analysis. However, the data cannot be released …to the public because of confidentiality commitments to individual respondents. These commitments, coupled with the strong research demand for microdata, have led the agencies to consider various proposals for releasing public use microdata. Most proposals for public use microdata call for the development of surrogate data that disguise the original data. Thus, they involve the addition of measurement errors to the data. In this paper, we examine disclosure issues and explore alternative masking methods for generating panels of useful economic microdata which can be released to researchers. While our analysis applies to all confidential microdata, applications using the Census Bureau's Longitudinal Research Data Base (LRD) are used for illustrative purposes throughout the discussion. Show more

Keywords: Longitudinal Research Data Base, Data Transformation, Surrogate Microdata, Disclosure Risk, Econometric Models

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1990-16102

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 19-39, 1990

Authors: Haber, Sheldon E.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Between 1965 and 1986 noncash government benefits rose from $1,492 to $2,787 billion dollars. In this study the conceptual and empirical bases of the recipient value and market value approaches to valuing these benefits are examined. The major conclusion of …the paper based on empirical data provided in Bureau of the Census publications is that both approaches yield results that are sufficiently anomalous as to cast grave doubt on their usefulness for determining who is poor. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1990-16103

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 41-54, 1990

Authors: Schembri, Lawrence | Beaulieu, Eugene

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper examines the theoretical issues associated with the construction of establishment-level capital stock estimates and proposes a methodology to generate such estimates given the establishment-level data on gross capital formation available at Statistics Canada. This methodology is then applied …to a set of 36 establishments in the Canadian newsprint industry to obtain capital stock estimates in gross and net terms in constant, current and original dollars for the years 1975 to 1985. These estimates are then evaluated by comparing them to responses from a special survey of capital stock values conducted by Statistics Canada in 1984. On a relative basis the constructed estimates are consistent with the values provided by the survey. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1990-16104

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 55-70, 1990